Red, black and yellow at home in deep blue

By Debra JopsonMay 31 2003

James Newman, Koori co-skipper of the Tribal Warrior, laughed at the idea that in just over a week, his Aboriginal crew will stage a "reverse invasion" by sailing into Sydney Harbour to meet a recent representative of the Crown, Sir William Deane.

"We should go planting our flag at Circular Quay," he joked.

That seven metre by three metre Aboriginal tricolour has just circumnavigated Australia aboard the 104-year-old former pearling lugger Tribal Warrior in an epic journey visiting more than 120 indigenous coastal communities.

Elders have wept when they stepped on board the 15.4 gaff-rigged ketch sent by the much-maligned Aborigines of Redfern on a 22-month voyage of "reconciliation and encouragement", said another Koori co-skipper, Dave Vincent. The boat was given to the group of Redfern elders five years ago.

One in Albany likened it to "sewing a thread around the coast", and "she wasn't the only one," said Mr Vincent, nick-named "Seaweed" because of his dreadlocks.");document.write("

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There have been welcome ceremonies and dances. Artists have burnt symbols into the oregon mast and jarrah woodwork, including turtles from Bundaberg, dugongs from Darwin and an owl from Derby.

"A lot of the Aboriginal kids get really excited about getting on a boat with their flag on it. It brings a lump to your throat when you bring so much happiness to kids," Mr Newman said.

The photo album records a barrow-load of bread donated in Newcastle, a turtle feast at Yarrabah, Queensland, and a visit by Yothu Yindi lead singer Mandawuy Yunupingu in Arnhem Land. A southern right whale breached close by in Exmouth, Western Australia.

In Arnhem Land, the crew got an offer of financial help from Ian MacGregor, a shipping specialist with Rio Tinto. That beefed up the training program to help Aborigines into maritime jobs.

Rio Tinto has sponsored two of the 14 trainees involved - Craig Timbery and Peter Jackson - to study at the Australian Maritime College in Launceston. .

For Kirk Phillips of Redfern, who at 42 had had "nothing to do with the sea" before joining Tribal Warrior as a coxswain, it has been a chance to get into work on charter boats.

"It's got a real good feel about it," said Paul Campbell, 38, a representative of the Yuin people. Using hot wire linked to a battery, he burnt an image of his people's black duck totem into the mast.

Tribal Warrior will sail into Sydney on June 9, 200 years after Matthew Flinders returned from his circumnavigation with Ku-ring-gai man Bungaree in the Investigator. The jib will be hoisted with the words: "It's a Koori harbour."